Sue

The seller should tell you if the house has been underpinned or has had other stabilising work done (eg resin injection) or if they are aware of any other issues. You need to ask relevant questions about each house you view, and if you see cracks ask if they know the reason. If they seem to be holding information back, push until you get it. Also, if you make an offer on a house get a proper full structural survey done by someone you trust. Don't just rely on a survey done for mortgage reasons (if you need a mortgage). If there is a cellar/coal hole and/or a loft, make sure the surveyor looks at them properly. If the owner has blocked access, eg with stuff stored under the stairs or a carpet over a trap door access to the cellar, get it unblocked so the surveyor can get to it. If you have a feeling there is something wrong, there probably is. I speak from bitter experience.

In Peckham Rye Park yesterday morning (Christmas Day) there were loads of dogs. We only saw one on a lead 🙄

Isn't the problem not being allowed to drive down certain roads at all at certain times, even on bank holidays? And potentially getting fined if you do, let alone park?

Did you try the emergency number posted above? It mentions lift breakdowns over the festive period outside the advertised times. Hope you got it sorted x

People working in shops should not be "attempting to do the bill in their head." Nor if questioned should they be trying to "get to an agreeable number." They should be actually (not trying to) getting to the correct number. I'm afraid in many cases it is clearly more than incorrect arithmetic. One New Year's Eve in a restaurant (not in East Dulwich but quite near it) two of us were charged for thirty poppadoms. We were quite merry when the bill came, but not so merry as to not notice something amiss. Unfortunately we have had similar things happen in a well established East Dulwich restaurant we no longer use. There is also a shop in East Dulwich which is open late at night. It used not to display prices on its goods (that may have changed). On querying the bill, we several times found a mistake had been made. Once we were charged twice for the same goods. There is a limit to how many times you can accept a "mistake". There is also a limit to how many times you can accept the "friendly" sweet talking after it.

Anyone upgraded their TV for Christmas?! I'm looking for a smallish Smart TV I can use with earbuds. Not more than 56cm high and 25cm deep. A 26" one used to fit. Thanks!

Sorry, only just seen this. I have PMed you. Really hope you have already found someone!

Sorry but I think it's best if people just check things for themselves when they buy things. In three shops/restaurants (from some years back) I just avoid the places concerned, as in all three cases I was pretty sure it wasn't a genuine mistake, and in one place it happened more than once and usually late at night.

Pity you didn't quote what you are referring to, Mal. I didn't see the previous post, and my mind is boggling 😮

The Cherry Tree was absolutely excellent for a while when a youngish couple ran it and brought in a really good chef. It was them who renamed it The Cherry Tree. They were really turning it around. The chef did fantastic Scotch eggs, and one of the best roasts I've ever had. If memory serves the then owner, for some reason known only to himself, took a dislike to them and what they were doing and sacked them all. And yes we weren't expecting a top class meal last Christmas, and we left it too late to book anywhere else, but we weren't expecting it for a hundred pounds EACH to be quite as terrible as it was. Stupid us. Not sure why you are confused by my post, Jazzer? Did I misremember? Now it's got even more confusing because my posts have been merged and your confused emoji is shown at the bottom of the second one instead of the first 🤣

Is there any reason why he wants to stay there rather than moving to another practice altogether? If he is in The Gardens catchment area, every GP I have seen there has been good. I have moved practices within the area twice. It's a very easy process.

I don't want to name a shop, but I have twice at this busy time of year had an issue, and yesterday was overcharged when buying a number of small things. If you are using a shop which doesn't give an itemised receipt, or doesn't give a receipt at all, just be aware that it might be a good idea to check that you are not paying over the odds (and if using cash, that you are given the right change for what you handed over). When staff are busy they might make mistakes.

As I had a moan on here about the truly abysmal Christmas meal we had at The Cherry Tree last year, I am redressing the balance by saying we had a really excellent Christmas meal at Franklins last night. Every course was absolutely delicious and really well cooked. The staff were lovely despite being exhausted and run off their feet. In particular, my sea bass was a large portion and cooked to perfection, in stark contrast to the small dried up portion The Cherry Tree provided, from which I was barely able to scrape a teaspoonful of flesh (that is not an exaggeration). And our Franklins meal cost less than half what we paid at The Cherry Tree (to be fair, that was on Christmas Day so the Cherry Tree costs would have been higher, but that doesn't excuse the appalling quality meal). Thank you again to Franklins for restoring our faith in eating out at Christmas!

Possibly not the same people though!

Well they seem to have got fed up with transporting this one, as it appears to have been dumped right outside the patio doors. Apart from the fact that it's not in an aesthetically pleasing position in the garden, it must be quite hard to get past it, especially if you are carrying something outside!

Well, I was interested to find that out. Another reason not to shop there.

I can't offer to do it, but wisteria has to be pruned twice a year. So you need a gardener who knows what they are doing rather than someone who will just come and hack it back regardless (though it might need that). https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/wisteria/pruning-guide Good luck! PS Has it flowered in previous years? Apparently they don't flower when they are young.

Well, it's always easy to find something to criticise others for. I don't think Earl has ever been banned?

Thank you, I haven't noticed those before.

What post are you replying to?

I think it's absolutely hideous 🤣 "Mystical space" ? How are they defining "mystical" exactly?

Do you have a link? I'm interested to see the wording.

Yes, I did mention the train, which I now get from East Dulwich to Guys instead of the 40. Depends where in East Dulwich you are starting from which route is easiest! I think it is probably lack of staff rather than lack of hospitals which is the problem?

I believe there is a minor injuries department at Guys, though I may have misremembered. Not very convenient for SE22 now the 40 no longer goes near. You have to get 2 buses or a train. Charging people (not sure if you mean financially or legally) would waste a lot more time, I would have thought? And a bad bruise could be serious, depending on the cause and possibly other symptoms.